Giving back to a flooded city seemslike right thing to do to Alexander

Mayor Sylvester Turner and Rockets owner Les Alexander speak to the media about Alexander's $500,000 donation to the city of Houston for victims of the recent floods, before the start of game three of a first-round NBA playoffs game at Toyota Center, Thursday, April 21, 2016, in Houston.

Mayor Sylvester Turner and Rockets owner Les Alexander speak to the media about Alexander's $500,000 donation to the city of Houston for victims of the recent floods, before the start of game three of a

Mayor Sylvester Turner and Rockets owner Les Alexander speak to the media about Alexander's $500,000 donation to the city of Houston for victims of the recent floods, before the start of game three of a first-round NBA playoffs game at Toyota Center, Thursday, April 21, 2016, in Houston. less

Mayor Sylvester Turner and Rockets owner Les Alexander speak to the media about Alexander's $500,000 donation to the city of Houston for victims of the recent floods, before the start of game three of a ... more

Photo: Karen Warren, Houston Chronicle

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Houston Mayor Sylvester Turner held his first press conference after his first City Council meeting Monday in Houston. ( Steve Gonzales / Houston Chronicle )

Houston Mayor Sylvester Turner held his first press conference after his first City Council meeting Monday in Houston. ( Steve Gonzales / Houston Chronicle )

Photo: Steve Gonzales

Rockets owner donates $500,000 to flood relief

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Rockets owner Leslie Alexander presented Mayor Sylvester Turner with a $500,000 donation after the first quarter of the Rockets' playoff game against Golden State on Thursday night. The donation will go to the mayor's recently established Greater Houston Storm Relief Fund, in light of the city's recent flooding.

"I want to thank Les Alexander and the Houston Rockets for making a huge, huge contribution to the people and the city of Houston, especially in their moment of need in this major crisis," Turner said. "He didn't have to do it at all and didn't have to do it to the degree that he did.

"But $500,000 to the victims of flooding in the Houston area and the Houston region just speaks volumes to the commitment Les and the Rockets have to the city and the people in the city. … It's very, very much appreciated."

The floods that tore through the city Sunday and Monday have caused more than $5 billion worth of damage so far. Thousands of residents are displaced after losing their homes to in the storms.

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"The city needed help," Alexander said. "A lot of people are in need. We try as an organization to help, and I thought a nice-sized donation would encourage other people to help, and it's happened. I have a lot and the city of Houston has been very kind to me over the years and I thought I would give back."

Alexander and the Rockets were in Oakland, Calif., for Game 2 when the storms hit. He decided to make a sizeable donation when he was traveling back after he had heard of the devastation in Houston.

"I just thought about the people with no homes, have kids and nowhere to go, have a grandmother, grandfather," he said. "People have so many problems and don't have the money to fix it."

Turner said Alexander's donation would go a long way in relief efforts for the city. The money in the fund goes directly to helping victims. Turner said the Rockets' donation has prompted other people to step up and donate as well.

"Because of his contribution, it has spurred others to give," Turner said. "I want to thank everyone in the city who has stepped up in some way to make everything much easier for people to transition from a bad situation to a better situation."

Rockets interim coach J.B. Bickerstaff said the flooding put everything into perspective for him this week.

"Those are things that are bigger than basketball," Bickerstaff said. "Those are the things that bring you back to reality when you are going through heartache over a loss and you see people struggling through loss. You know taking care of your kids, taking care of your family, keeping a roof over your kids' heads. That's reality. For Mr. Alexander to go out and do that shows he cares about his community and sees the importance of it as well."

"The statement Les and the Rockets are making is that they are more than just a great sports team, they are part of a city with great big hearts," Turner said. "This is Houston. This is who we are. This is what we are about."